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Tibetans will be allowed into
Canada for a three month visit

MP gives her personal promise to vouch for Tibetan students

By JENNIFER LANG
TRAVEL PLANS for six
Tibetan women, including
two who will visit Terrace
next month, are back on
track, thanks to Alexa Mc-
Donough.

“The federal NDP leader
has personally guaranteed

‘thatthe six Tibetans will

return to China after their
visit, says Dr. Isaac Sobol,
a Terrace man who has

‘been working to bring the

students to Canada so they
can learn English.

“=> Just over one month
ago, the students learned
the Canadian embassy in
China had turned down
their visa applications be-

- cause they’re orphans who
had -insufficient ties to

their home country.
In other words, Cana-

_dian. authorities weren't
. convinced the Tibetan stu-

dents would return home.
“We were so disappcin-
ted,” says Sobol, a mem-
ber of ROKPA Canada, an
agency that helps Tibetans
in remote areas receive

--medical training.

He points out the stu-
dents, who have acted as
translators for his charity,
had already gained per-
mission to travel outside of
China when their Cana-
dian visa applications
were turned down.

Sobol says letters to the
immigration minister on
behalf of the students from
Skeena MP Andy Burton
and Vancouver MP Libby
Davies (the students are
planning to attend classes
in her riding) weren’t en-
ough to reverse the deci-
sion.

‘So, acting on advice

DR. ISAAC SOBOL has spant the ast month tty:
ing to get Canadian authorities to reverse a deci-
sion to deny travel visas to six orphaned Tibetans.

from former Skeena MP
Jim Fulton, Sobol contac-
ted McDonough, who hand
delivered her letter asking
Immigration minister De-
nise Coderre to intervene
in the case.

When that failed to get
areply, McDonough sent a
second letter personally
guaranteeing that the stu-
dents would comply with
the terms of their travel
visas.

“I am confident that
these students are commit-
ted to their studies and
their community and offer

my personal guarantee that
they will respect the terms
of their visa,” The Halifax
MP wrote,

Should the Tibetan stu-
dents apply for refugee
status or otherwise break

week that a ministerial
permit would be granted,

allowing the students to

travel to Canada.

They arrive in Vancou-
ver Friday to begin three
months of English studies
at Cornerstone Academy
in Vancouver. They'll be
staying with host families
while they’re there,

Sobol, who has tra-
velled to Tibet over the
past decade, knows the
students, who are enrolled
at the Yushu College of
Traditional Tibetan Medi-
cine.

Two of the six Tibetan
students are coming to
Terrace April 17 for a
week’s visit.

One of the two women
visiting Terrace will re-
ceive free medical treat-
ment while she’s here,
says Sobol, who hopes to
introduce the visitors to
members of the Nisga’a
nation.

Sobol is the former
Chief Medical Health Of-
ficer for the Nisga’a Val-
ley Health Board.

He also ran as an NDP
candidate in the 1997 fed-
eral election.

He’s relieved he was
able to use his contacts to
do something but he re-
mains troubled about what
it means for other regis-

“The question | have is, who would
they let in from China now?”

the rules of their visa, Mc-
Donough’s office will be
prevented from intervening
on immigration matters for
ane year.

Sobol learned late last

tered charities wanting to

‘bring in Chinese citizens

to short stays in Canada.

“The question I have is,
who would they let in from
China now?”

lendar.

That’s the date CBC television

‘this month,

plans to rebroadcast the gala cer-
emony, held in Winnipeg eariier

Terrace’s own Freda Diesing, a
northwest coast carver and’ mask
maker, is one of 13 aboriginal

Aboriginal awards broadcast next month

TERRACE TV viewers whe wanl
to tune into the 2002 National
Aboriginal Achievement Awards
should mark April 16 on their ca-_

people who received awards this
year. Diesing will also be honoured
at Kitsumkalum next week for her

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caegee GA UTE roe

=°,COLLIMBIA

Stan placed his purchases on the
counter.

The cashier smiled. “Hi Stan!"

Stan just stared ahead blankly.

The cashier tallied everything up. “Asp-
irin, sleeping pills, cold medicine, spring
water. Well, 1 hope this stuff makes you
fee! better.”

Stan gave her a slight smile. “Yes.”

The cashier watched Stan walk out ina
daze. She turned to the other cashier.
“Hope he's okay,”

Back inside his car, Stan leaned against
the head rest. “This js it. It's time.”

He turned the key in his ignition and
played some calming music.

With shaking hands, he opened the bot-
tles of medicine and the water bottle, As if
ina trance, he swallowed every pill.

Then he sat back and waited to die. “I
hope everyone will understand. | just can’t
go on like this ...” :

But Stan didn't die. Half an hour later,
drugged oul of his mind, Stan started the
car and drove off.

Stan was oblivious to the danger he was
creating. Bul the surrounding drivers and
pedestrians were terrified.

The police were bombarded by calls.

"A crazy driver is weaving from lane to
lana,”

“Some idiot just sideswiped the parked
cars on my streell”

Stan swerved into the oncoming traffic
and hit a car. He slammed into the curb.

The police arrived at the scene. Stan
had gotten out of the car, and was limping

bY CLAIRE G@ERNS TRIN

around, stumbling and muttering.

“| need to wear my TV. to cook the
hourglass," he babbled incoherently.

The officer put him in the squad car.
“Looks like you're on a bad trip.”

The only lhing Stan remembered was
waking up the next day in the hospital.

“Nooooo.... | was supposed to die,
Whal a nightmare...just like the last time
when the damn pills didn’t work.”

The nurse held his hand.
you're meant to live...”

Stan rubbed his eyes..“l want to go
home.”

A voice. boomed from the doorway.
“You're nol going anywhere.”

it was the police officer. “You're under
arrest for impaired driving."

in court, Stan fought the charge. “Your
Honour, | never meant to drive. | was try-
ing to kill myself. |-was in such an
extrame state of Intoxication that my
actions were Involuntary.”

The prosecutor was firm. “Your Honour,
he can't use self-induced intoxication as
a defence. That's the crime itselfi”

Is Stan guilty of Impaired driving? Youl
Ba the Judge. Then look below for the
decision.

“Maybe

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SHOW STARTS AT 8:00 PM » Safer Balen Savin no defence {o say he didn’t Intend to drive, Ini sympathetic to Stan, but he chose to take his cocktall of
» Emecgency Opening drugs wile li the driver’s seat, with the key in the ignition. And he should have known that this sulckle
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mus and nationally syndicated columnist, Copyright 2001 Hatka su ses, C28-§